Let's Give Buzz and This Team Some Credit.....

[duanewade]

As incredibly frustrating as it is to lose games, especially close games time after time, the reality is we have literally almost won every game.  This is a pretty remarkable feat for any team to claim this far in the season with the tough schedule we have played already....our most lopsided loss was @ Wisconsin and that was basically a back and forth game also.

They say that Phil Jackson teams never underachieve and so far you could also make this argument for Buzz.  Have there been mistakes by the coaches and players, absolutely.  Do we have a dangerous roster that is deep and full of talent for a high major program right now, absolutely not. 

The transfers, the injuries, the non-experience have killed this team that looks pretty average on paper but once again our only sizeable loss was by Wisconsin which was less than 10 points....pretty impressive if you step by and look at it.....we used to get blown out in games the two years after the Final Four under Crean.  We are like a Phil Mickelson in that we can't close out major games, but Phil Mickelson was a major talent for at least being in that position to win major tournaments.  Phil Mickelson eventually broke this string of near misses and we will too.  Hopefully within two years we'll be a Tiger Woods with a deep, more talented, experienced team that has a killer instinct and puts teams away early and often.

Bottom line is Buzz is a workaholic and he will get us another big man who will help us next year.  This big man will be the equivalent of a DJO who will be ready to contribute at this level next year. …it could be Mo Walker, Majok Majok, a Juco, an unknown recruit that becomes available from the coaching carousel…but the bottom-line Buzz will get someone as he is already one of the best in the business at recruiting and will work tirelessly to do this.

That will give us plenty of talent at 1-3 and some good players with upside at the 4 & 5.  Then I wouldn’t bet against Buzz in landing Branden Dawson who is much more a position of need than Wayne Blackshear in that he is a rebounding 3/4 which is much more a need than another 2 when we’ll have DJO, Blue and Buycks at that position.

In Buzz we trust (well at least I do)….he’s shaping this program into something special and the pain we are going through now is only temporary.

[79Warrior]

I don't think the ack of a quality big hurt us that much tonight. Our defense was suspect at best. Nova was blowing by our defenders.

[Dienerfor3]

I certainly hope we don't turn out like Tiger Woods..

[willie warrior]

Tired of losing close games when Buzz plays two midgets at Guard at the same time who cannot close and drive, and one lets his man beat him on the floor.

[Markusquette]

Tired of losing close games when Buzz plays two midgets at Guard at the same time who cannot close and drive, and one lets his man beat him on the floor.

Should we replace them with clueless Mbao and Williams- perhaps Frozena?  Do you think Junior can play with one leg? 

Come on man, who the hell do you expect Buzz to play when DJO was in foul trouble the whole game and the only other guard (who we play at forward) is Buycks?

[4everwarriors]

Maybe the chick behind the bench can flash the opponents and they'll stop dead in their tracks in to gawk.

[El Duderino]

Should we replace them with clueless Mbao and Williams- perhaps Frozena?  Do you think Junior can play with one leg? 

Come on man, who the hell do you expect Buzz to play when DJO was in foul trouble the whole game and the only other guard (who we play at forward) is Buycks?

Maybe some here want Buzz to throw Junior Cadougan out there, blown achilles be damned. Suck it up young fella, we need some size at the point, learn to play hopping on one leg.

I'm sure Buzz would much prefer that Acker only had to be a 10-15 minutes a game to rest Cadougan type of player, but there are only four healthy guards on the roster right now and DJO spent much of the game in foul trouble. Even when he was on the court, he was 1-6 from the field, bricked two huge free throws, and bit on that critical pump fake by Reynolds.

If next year Buzz and the team can finally catch a break with injuries, we'll be adding Cadougan, Blue, and Smith to team with DJO/Buycks. None will be midgets and should be a group that can get after it on both ends. For this year at least though, there isn't much to do with only 4 healthy guards on the roster and the two that Crean left were Acker/Cubillian.